Otti Approves Jobs, N100,000 Grant for Abia ICT Graduates

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has approved automatic employment into the state civil service for the 19 best-performing graduates of the TechRise ICT Skills Development Programme, Cohort 3.

Otti also approved a ₦100,000 cash grant for each of the 850 young innovators who graduated from the programme.

The governor disclosed this in a statement posted on his X handle on Saturday, August 22, after attending the graduation ceremony of the third cohort of TechRise participants.

He said the graduands had completed intensive information and communication technology (ICT) training designed to equip them with skills for the state’s emerging digital economy.

“To encourage their excellent performance, I have approved automatic employment into the State Civil Service for the 19 best-graduating students,” Otti said.

He added that all 850 graduands would receive ₦100,000 each and keep the laptops provided to them during the training.

“Directed that all 850 graduands receive ₦100,000 each. Gifted them the laptops used during training, now theirs to keep,” the governor said.

Otti further directed ministries in the state to integrate TechRise participants into government ICT projects, saying the initiative would enable their skills to contribute directly to public service delivery.

He also announced plans to introduce a special salary structure for ICT professionals in the state civil service.

The governor urged the young innovators to continue developing their skills and use their knowledge to create businesses and solutions that would benefit society.

“I urge our graduands to remain committed to continuous learning. The greatest reward of the programme is the knowledge and skills they now possess,” he said.

Otti particularly praised a team of graduands that developed a functional drone, promising government support to transform the innovation into a commercial product.

“I am particularly proud of the team that developed a functional drone. We will support them in moving this innovation from concept to commercial reality,” he said.

The governor also disclosed that his administration was working to establish international-standard ICT certification centres in Abia.

He said the state government would also expand internet access across the state through a partnership with telecom giant, MTN.

Otti congratulated the graduands, describing them as key contributors to the state’s digital future.

“You are the true architects of our collective future,” he said.